Burying the Lead
I have spent the last 15 years of my career as a student of the professional beauty industry. Not as an operator or behind the chair, but behind the scenes in the parts nobody ever really sees. The place where I see the pros at their most vulnerable, most tired, and the times where they shine and exceed. I call myself a student because I haven’t stopped learning. Not for one day.
I love the industry. I’m passionate about it in all ways at all times. Hungry to learn and grow and to continue to give stylists and owners the encouragement they need and deserve. I feel my job is to make the hairdressers better in the ways they have natural blindspots, to aid them in what they can’t see or navigate a terrain they often can’t understand. I’m also their coach, their cheerleader, sounding board and friend. I have seen careers rise from beauty school to platform artist. 15 years. I’ve seen A LOT.
One concept that I’ve noticed is that you never read a story about Sue’s Corner Salon. The hairdresser that never became a platform artist or a NAHA contender, but comes to work every day and has built a life, a career, with hundreds of faithful clients and made a great living and loves being a stylist. What is her story and how come it isn’t written? Is it because the industry can’t glamorize her or give her a big fancy award? What’s her REAL story? Is there magic to it? What can we LEARN? She achieved her beauty school dream on some level and maybe isn’t famous but to her clients.
And my other concept is that while we celebrate the incredible talent we see on stage at a show, read about in some trade magazine, Facebook and the Insta-famous world of Instagram, what do we REALLY know about them? What is the REAL story there? What can we LEARN?
In journalism there’s a concept that you should never “bury the lead”. This is taking the critical, central story and hiding it or not developing it so it is evident to the reader. IE: You can read about the artist that receive a master stylist award, and it can be inspiring and make you want to enter next year. I ask you: Is that the story? Where’s the story of the 5 times they entered and lost? The tears and the fear to get there. The story isn’t about the fun and the winning, the REAL story is about their lowest day on earth. How can you appreciate the HIGH when you don’t know the LOW.
That’s the stories I want to write about in the industry. Real success of all kinds, measurable and vulnerable to the readers. People who are important to the professional beauty industry. They will captivate you and make you think about your own career and journey. Learn about people in the industry that should be in a magazine and may never get there. I want to learn where the magic happens. Uncover deeper truths about who they all are.
I’m setting out to EDIT the beauty industry. I’ll be the editor. The goal is to write about 1 stylist each week and I’ll post them here for you. 52 in 2017. Write the real stories. The game is HI-LOW. You will get a brief bio on the stylist or industry pro and I’ll ask them some questions, but the goal is to get HI-LOW. To get REAL. I hope you follow, comment and share over the year and I’m excited to see where this takes us.
Graciously,
Elana K. Wight, Beauty Pro, Cancer Warrior, and Red Thursday Founder
#warrior #editbeauty #RedThursday #licensedtocreate
